Apple, (Malus domestica), domesticated tree and fruit of the rose family (Rosaceae), one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. Apples are predominantly grown for sale as fresh fruit, though apples are also used commercially for vinegar, juice, jelly, applesauce, and apple butter and are canned as pie stock. A significant portion of the global crop also is used for cider, wine, and brandy. Fresh apples are eaten raw or cooked. There are a variety of ways in which cooked apples are used; frequently, they are used as a pastry filling, apple pie being perhaps the archetypal American dessert.